Current-motor



E. ANTZ.

CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 21. ms.

1,371,83 Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

Z SHEETS SHEET 1.

CURRENT MOTOR.

ARPLICATIQN FILED oer. 21, 1919.

1,3? 1,836; Patented Mar. 15,1921

2 SHEETS-SHED 2.

UM r:

- tienne aim, or nomnsrnlrnflo tnoon.i

Taall whom it may concern 4 Be it known that I, EUGENE ANTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Homestead, in the county of Baker and State'of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Current-ll ilotors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention-has for its object to pro vide a current motor embodying such features of improvement as tend to increase the power and efiiciency of motors of this yp t 3 i inother object is the provision of an efiicient type of rotor and anchoring means therefor, whereby the rotor is caused to assume an oblique positionwith relation to the direction of flow of the stream uponapplication of load't-hereto, thus securing maximum efiiciency of the motor in operation.

With these and other. objects in View as will appear as the description proceedsthe invention comprises the novel features of construction combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described in the following specification and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

Figure 1 represents a plan view of the improved motor applied to use.- i

Fig. 2' represents a similar View showing a modified position of the rotor.

Fig. 8 is a plan view ofthe motor illustrating'a modified type of anchoring means.

Fig; represents a detail of one of the Fig. 5 represents a fragmental side elevation of the combined anchoring and power transmitting means disclosed in themodification illustrated in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 5 indicates the shaft of the rotor which is preferably of hollow form as illustrated in Fig. at to increase the buoyancy thereof and assist in maintaining the rotor in a predetermined position with relation to the surface of the stream 6. Floats 8 of hollow form provided with sleeves 8 are secured adjacent the opposite terminals of the shaft 5 and are of hollow cylindrical form to support the shaft, as desired, upon the surface of the stream, or inipartially or entirely submerged position according to CURRENT-Moron.

I 55pecification of LettershPatent. ifgatenitd Mar. 15,1921.

'Application filed Octobef'fil, isle. 'Seria1 1\'fo."332 ',277. V i

the degree of buoyancyof the floats 8 which may .be conveniently varied by admitting water to the internal chambers of the floats.

For convenience in admitting water'to ne floats, the latter are provided with .60 z ved inletports 9' which may beconve-n-g iently opened to admit the desired quantity.

of. water to the float and subsequently closed to render the float airtight. In order to reuucefriction due to the rotary movement of the shaft 5-to the lowest possible degree, the

shaft is preferably journaled-forfrotation within the floats 8 and is provided with;

collars 8*: thus permitting the floats toremalnsubstantially stationary, with relation 7 to the rotary movement of the shaft-during When found'nec-i operation of the motor.

essary, due to the length of the shaft Sad-if;

ditional floats- 10 maybe located intermediare. arranged in spaced relation to provide 1 passages betweenthem forthe flow of water.-

The several blades or vanes 11 have a corre-v spending spiral curvature and due to the spacing'bfthe blades longitudinally of the shaft 5 adequate space is providedbetween them for the passage of water; 7

A buoyant support in the form of a barge or other craft" 12 is provided-with bearings 13 in which the anchored-terminal of the shaft Eris jou rnaled and suitable gearing,"

flexible shaft or-other adequate power transmitting means is connected withthis ter minal of the shaft whereby the rotary movement thereof is transmitted to any desired point remote therefrom. An anchoring cable 13 is connected with one terminal of the floating support 12' and is adequately secured at its opposite terminal to the bank 7 of the stream; A ring is swivelly mounted upon the opposite terminal of the shaft 5 and is connected with a restraining cable let also anchoring upon the shore or bank 7 whereby the outward movement of the shaft with relation thereto is limited.

It has been found by practical experiment, that maximum efficiency of the motor is obtained when the spiral blades 11 are maintained in a position in a substantially twothirds submerged position although it will be clearly apparent that the position of the blades and shaft bereadily varied as preference or conditions may dictate by varying the quantity of the liquid contents of the several floats 9 and 10. The pitch of the spiral blades or vanes 11 is such that T when there is resistance to the rotary movement of the shaft 5, as when a load is ap plied thereto, the pressure exerted by the current against the obliquely disposed submerged portions of the blades exerts-a tend ency to move the shaft to an oblique posi-' tion, with relation to the direction of flow of the stream, as suggested in Fig. l. t

The cable 14 acts as a restrainer for limit- "ing the outward swinging movement of the shaft 5 so as to maintain the shaft in such angularfposition as to secure maxmium efh ciency and the utilization of the pressure exerted byth-e current of the stream in producing rotary movement of the rotor. The

cable 14: further prevents the shaft from.

moving outwardly to such position that the submerged portions ofthe spiralblades lie substantially parallel to the direction of. the current as, obviously, in this position the pressure ofthe current on opposite sides of the blades is equal and tendency to rotate the shaft thus counteracted.

As suggestedin Fig. 2, the position of the rotor may be reversed so that the outer terminal of the shaft is disposed up stream.

When the position of the rotor is thus changed, it is evident that the direction of I rotation of the shaft is reversed, provided rotor may be maintained in the position shown inFig- 1 when the current is flowing in the direction ofl the arrow in that figure. However when the direction of the current changes and is opposite to that indictated by the arrow in Figs. 1 and 2, as during the rise of the tide, the position of the rotor may be changed to that shown 1n Fig. 2 without changing the direction of rotation thereof.

In themodilication of the invention illust'rated in Fig. 3, the rotor which is designated generally by the numeral 5 isprovided with the" usual shaft having connection with a shaft section 20 which is connected to the shaft of the rotor by a universal joint 21.; The opposite terminal of the shaft section 20 is connected with a driven shaft 22 by a universal j oint 23. The driven shaft 22 is adequately supported in bearings 24: which may be conveniently located upon the shore or bank of the stream 'and dueto the provision of the two universaljomts 21 and 23 it is evident that the position of the floating shaft 5 may be varied according to variations in the level of the surface of the stream.

W hat I claim is: v k t l; A currentmotorcomprising a hollow shaft, buoyant supporting means having bearings thereon at onefend of the shaft, a plurality of -equally. spaced current operated blades rotatable with said hollow shaft, a plurality of hollow floats supporting said hollowshaft'and anchoring cables connecting the buoyant supporting means and the end of the shaft to the shore to limit its movement with the current of the stream.

2. A current motor comprising a hollow shaft, buoyant supporting means having bearings thereon rotatably supporting one end of the shaft, aplurality of spaced, current operated screw blades rotatable with said hollow shaft, a plurality of hollow floats supporting saidhollow shaft and con stituting bearings for said hollow shaft,

valved inlet ports for admitting water to V the hollow floats to limit the depth of the shaft and blades, and anchoring cables on the end of the shaft and buoyant supporting means for restraining the movement thereof with the current of the stream.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto.

, EUGENE ANTZ. 

